streaming movieshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/9552/all
enOvernight Recap: How Netflix Spawned Roku, Pebble Watch Begins Shippinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_how_netflix_spawned_roku_pebble_watch_begins_shipping
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/pebble_smart_watch_in_factory_200px.png" alt="Pebble smart watch in factory" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Let me get this straight: Apple made a ton of money last quarter, but investors dragged down the company's stock price by at least 10 percent in after-hours trading on Wednesday night? Never makes a whole lot of sense to casual observers, but clearly something CEO Tim Cook and friends said during yesterday's earnings report got investors spooked. The good news is, the Apple freight train keeps on chugging, and you can bet 2013 will be another banner year for the company. With that in mind, here are a handful of items you might have missed while selling off your Apple stock last night…</p><h3>The Untold Story of Netflix's Aborted Streaming Hardware</h3><p>For those of you who love their Roku streaming box, did you know you have Netflix to thank for it? <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3004709/inside-netflixs-project-griffin-forgotten-history-roku-under-reed-hastings" target="_blank">According to Fast Company</a>, the onetime DVD rental goliath originally planned to launch its streaming service with its own hardware, developed in-house as "Project Griffin" by a 20-person team led by Anthony Wood, the man who would eventually head up Roku. In December, 2007, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings killed the project, realizing that it wasn't in the company's best interest to become a hardware provider. "I want to be able to call Steve Jobs and talk to him about putting Netflix on Apple TV," Hastings reportedly explained. "But if I'm making my own hardware, Steve's not going to take my call." Instead, Wood debuted the Roku Netflix Player in mid-2008 and the rest is history.</p><h3>Pebble Smart Watches Begin Shipping, iOS App Arrives Just in Time</h3><p>The wildly popular Kickstarter project <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android/posts/391088" target="_blank">Pebble E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android</a> has finally started shipping… slowly. According to an online ticker at the aptly-named <a href="http://www.ispebbleshipping.com" target="_blank">ispebbleshipping.com</a>, less than 500 units have left the warehouse as of this week, but a photo of a skid full of boxes on Kickstarter is a good indication that more will be going out soon. In the meantime, the free companion app for the iPhone <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pebble-smartwatch/id592012721?mt=8" target="_blank">finally hit the App Store on Wednesday night</a>, and the Android app is expected to land on Google Play sometime today. Now the wait begins for the smart watch itself, which landed more than $10 million in financing last May -- 10 times what its makers were hoping for.</p><h3>FxFactory Adds $29 Ripple Tools to FCPX Arsenal</h3><p>Ripple Training has teamed up with Noise Industries for <a href="http://www.rippletraining.com/categories/plugins-and-templates/tools/tools-for-final-cut-pro-x.html" target="_blank">Ripple Tools</a>, a $29 set of 12 plugins for FxFactory and Final Cut Pro X. Among Ripple Tools' feats of strength are the ability to add split screens, use eight or 16-point mattes, add adjustment layers to control the look of multiple clips, color balance using traditional color wheels, apply vintage or black and white effects and even move images in 3D space with ease. Ripple Tools is a quite impressive collection for such a low price, but if you prefer to try before you buy, a free trial version is available or you can check out the video to see what it's capable of.</p><h3>Mac Enterprise Manufacturer Active Storage Spins Down</h3><p><a href="http://www.xsanity.com/article.php?story=20130122172941244" target="_blank">Xsanity reported this week</a> that Mac-focused storage manufacturer Active Storage closed its doors over the weekend. While it's unclear what exactly is going on, the website has discovered that founder and former Apple Xserve chief Alex Grossman left Active over a month ago, and the shutdown happened rather quickly. Although there's no mention of the closure on the company's website at this writing, a member of the company's engineering team told Xsanity, "Most of us are actually okay and employed elsewhere already."</p><h3>Shutterfly Updates iPhone Greeting Card App Treat</h3><p>Mobile greeting cards are fast becoming a hot business, so it's no surprise that online photo service Shutterfly spiffed up their <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/treat-cards/id554848188?mt=8" target="_blank">Treat Card</a> app for iPhone this week with a new version 2.0. In addition to offering cards for Valentine's Day next month, the app now features even more cards (900 plus!) for even more occasions, including Congratulations, Thank You's and Anniversaries. Treat is also now faster than ever before with an improved interface and plenty of bug fixes. The free app is available on the App Store and is even optimized for the iPhone 5.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_how_netflix_spawned_roku_pebble_watch_begins_shipping#commentsNewsFxFactorykickstarternetflixovernight recappebble smartwatchRokuShutterflyStoragestreaming moviesTreatiPhoneMacThu, 24 Jan 2013 13:20:57 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16060 at http://www.maclife.comBest Buy's CinemaNow Teams with UltraViolet for Disc-to-Digital Betahttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/best_buys_cinemanow_teams_ultraviolet_disctodigital_beta
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/cinemanow_disc_to_digital_200px.png" alt="CinemaNow Disc to Digital Program" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />With fears of a Mayan apocalypse behind us, we can now get back to our hopes and dreams for the future -- such as an iTunes Match-like service to convert our DVDs into a cloud-based movie library. (It's not here quite yet, but CinemaNow has something pretty close.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cinemanow.com/disc_to_digital" target="_blank">Best Buy's CinemaNow has introduced a new Disc-to-Digital Program</a>, allowing DVD owners to convert their collection into digital movies right from the comfort of home -- for a price, and only for certain titles.<br /><br />Available for Mac and Windows, the currently beta program one-ups competitor Walmart and their VUDU service, which requires movie lovers to step into a retail store in order to get their DVDs converted to digital -- a process that actually requires no real "conversion" in the traditional sense.<br /><br />CinemaNow has decided this is an old-school approach, so they've teamed up with Hollwyood's answer to iTunes in the Cloud, UltraViolet, to make it easy to convert your discs into digital files that can be streamed or downloaded from compatible devices on a computer, HDTV or mobile device -- which ironically, should include VUDU itself, another UltraViolet partner.<br /><br />To do this, users will be required to link their CinemaNow and UltraViolet accounts, which will then make their digital libraries to any other service which also uses UltraViolet (including the Flixster app for iOS and Android). An Adobe AIR-powered CinemaNow Player desktop app then reads DVDs inserted into your Mac or PC and in seconds, allows users to purchase the digital version: $2 for SD or $5 for HD.</p><p>Fair warning: Not every DVD title is available during the beta period, so <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/p5rju3q0we5a778/CinemaNow_Disc_To_Digital_Titles_121912.pdf" target="_blank">be sure to check this link</a> (PDF) before randomly sticking discs into your computer.</p><p>For movie lovers, it's hard to imagine a better scenario -- except maybe if Apple finds a way to convince Hollywood to create an iTunes Match system for movies and TV shows for a flat annual fee, as it currently does for music.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/best_buys_cinemanow_teams_ultraviolet_disctodigital_beta#commentsNewsadobe Airbest buybeta periodCinemaNowdisc to digitalDVDFlixstermoviesstreaming moviesUltravioletvuduiPadiPhoneiPodMacFri, 21 Dec 2012 12:51:58 +0000J.R. Bookwalter15860 at http://www.maclife.comMonday Recap: Whitney Streaming Mystery, VLC 2.0, iPad Trademark War Brewinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_whitney_streaming_mystery_vlc_20_ipad_trademark_war_brewing
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/bodyguard_no_streaming_200px.png" alt="Netflix The Bodyguard not available" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />It’s President’s Day here in the U.S., which means most of us are working at half-mast since the banks and post office are closed for business. But the news business never slows down, and in the tech world, a Monday holiday is usually reserved for a few curveballs, such as the curious case of Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard going missing from Netflix streaming in the wake of her death (which turns out to be a case of mistaken license term, apparently). With that in mind, here’s the rest of the news for this slow Monday, February 20, 2012.</p><h3>VLC 2.0 Now Ready for Download</h3><p>After teasing its release last week, <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.0.0.html" target="_blank">VideoLAN has pulled the trigger on VLC 2.0</a>, which brings an entirely new user interface to the Mac OS X version. The new version, code-named “Twoflower,” promises “faster decoding on multi-core, GPU, and mobile hardware and the ability to open more formats, notably professional, HD and 10bits codecs” as well as “a new rendering pipeline for video, with higher quality subtitles, and new video filters to enhance your videos.” Experimental support for Blu-ray discs is also rolled into VLC 2.0, which also squashes “several hundreds of bugs” thanks to the work of 160 volunteers. While the open source software is free as always, <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.0.0.html" target="_blank">users are encouraged to donate at the top of the download page</a>, which keeps the non-profit organization pumping out such cool updates down the road.</p><h3>Apple Threatens Defamation Suit Against Proview</h3><p>Following up our report this morning regarding the iPad trademark battle in China between Apple and Proview, <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20120220/apple-threatens-to-sue-proview-for-defamation-read-the-letter/" target="_blank">AllThingsD is now reporting</a> that Cupertino is preparing a counter-attack to stop the Chinese LCD display maker from talking smack. In a letter to Proview founder Yang Rongshan, Apple’s attorney writes: “It is inappropriate to release information contrary to the facts to the media, especially when such disclosures have the effect of wrongfully causing damage to Apple’s reputation. Making misrepresentations in the press to inflame the situation is adversely affecting the interests of the parties in seeking any resolution of the matter. On behalf of Apple, we formally reserve all rights to take further legal action against any individuals and entities for any damages that may result from defamatory statements and unlawful actions intended to wrongfully interfere with Apple’s business and business relationships.” In other words: “Proview, if you hope to bleed us for any money, you’d best shut your mouths, toot sweet” -- or something like that...</p><h3>Well, Duh: Next iPhone Due in Fall 2012</h3><p>We often hate to even republish rumors like this, mainly because they seem so obvious that they’re rarely worth the virtual ink they’re written with. Be that as it may, <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/20/iphone-5-due-for-release-in-september-october-timeframe/" target="_blank">MacRumors is reporting</a> that a “reliable” source has confirmed that Apple is again targeting the September or October timeframe for the 2012 iPhone model -- which we hesitate to call the iPhone 5, even though it seems more likely that’s what it will be called now. Japanese blog Macotakara broke the dubious news earlier today, citing an “Asian reliable source” who claims the “next iPhone will be released in September or October, and this cycle seems to be kept for years” -- in other words, Apple plans to stick to this release schedule moving forward. Might as well make your vacation plans for June this year, folks...</p><h3>Apple Report Hypes Up Solar Power in North Carolina Data Center</h3><p>“Here comes the sun” -- that’s the message Apple seems to be singing with an updated report today on its environmental footprint, <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57381332-37/apple-touts-n.c-solar-array-in-environmental-footprint-report/" target="_blank">according to Cnet</a>. “Our new data center in Maiden, North Carolina, demonstrates our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our facilities through energy-efficient, green building design,” <a href="http://www.apple.com/environment/" target="_blank">Apple’s report reveals</a>. “The facility has earned the coveted LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. We know of no other data center of comparable size that has achieved this level of LEED certification. Our goal is to run the Maiden facility with high percentage renewable energy mix, and we have major projects under way to achieve this -- including building the nation’s largest end user-owned solar array and building the largest nonutility fuel cell installation in the United States.” The brief mention is Apple’s first comment on the subject to the public, which has been widely rumored since winning approval to reshape 171 acres of vacant land adjacent to the data center.</p><h3>Slow News Day: Studio Yanks Whitney Houston Flicks from Netflix? (Nope.)</h3><p>Mondays are traditionally one of the slower days of the week for tech news, which makes this bizarre little nugget all the more fascinating. <a href="http://gawker.com/5886685/studios-allegedly-pull-all-whitney-houston-titles-from-netflix-to-make-more-money-off-the-dvd-sales" target="_blank">According to Gawker</a>, Whitney Houston fans are being mistreated yet again. After Sony recently jacked up the price of the deceased diva’s music on iTunes, Warner Bros. is now being accused of trying to prop up its sagging DVD fortunes by yanking Houston’s debut feature film <em>The Bodyguard</em> from Netflix streaming. After reading some of the venomous comments about the move on the Netflix website, Google Plus Week host Dan McDermott took it upon himself to contact Netflix directly and was told “the production company pulled the streaming rights from us because all the publicity after Whitney Houston's passing there was an opportunity to make really a very large amount of money on the DVD sales of her movies." Unfortunately, that story appears to be “totally untrue,” <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20120220/netflix-whitney-houston-and-the-great-streaming-video-outrage-that-didnt-happen/" target="_blank">according to an update from AllThingsD</a>. Netflix PR rep Steve Swasey claims <em>The Bodyguard</em> streaming rights expired at the end of last year and weren’t renewed. No need to call in Scooby-Doo to solve this mystery, folks.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_whitney_streaming_mystery_vlc_20_ipad_trademark_war_brewing#commentsNewsApple Inc.daily recapiphone 5netflixProviewRumorssolar powerstreaming moviestrademarkVideoLANVLCiPadMacMon, 20 Feb 2012 23:26:01 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13348 at http://www.maclife.comWednesday PM Recap: iPad 3 Rumors, Amazon Adds Viacom, Path Makes Amendshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/wednesday_pm_recap_ipad_3_rumors_amazon_adds_viacom_path_makes_amends
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/vonage_mobile_app_200px.png" alt="Vonage Mobile overview" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Hey, so forget what we said this morning about a news recap earlier in the day -- we’re happy to announce that, starting Thursday, we’ll be back to pushing out three full news items each weekday morning, plus the very news recap you’re reading each evening to catch up with the rest of the day’s events. All because you, the loyal MacLife.com reader, deserve it! So without further ado, let’s blast off into the rest of today’s news for Wednesday, February 8, 2012.</p><h3>Amazon Beefs Up Prime Instant Video with Viacom TV Catalog</h3><p>As rumored in the last few days, <a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1658381&amp;highlight=" target="_blank">Amazon today announced a new deal with Viacom</a> which will add 2,000 more titles to its Prime Instant Video service, encompassing the output from television networks MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TV Land and VH1. Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced on the company’s home page that the new deal brings Amazon’s offerings to 15,000 titles, including kiddie favorites like Dora the Explorer, comedy like Hot In Cleveland and reality TV, including past seasons of The Real World and yes, even Jersey Shore. (Face it: There’s no escaping it.) As usual, Prime Instant Videos require a $79 per year subscription which also nets customers with free two-day shipping. Sadly, there’s still no sign of an iOS app for watching all this content, but you can find it on the Kindle Fire, Mac and PC computers, Roku boxes and internet-connected HDTVs or Blu-ray players.</p><h3>Vonage Mobile App Gunning for Skype</h3><p>Can you feel that red dot on your forehead, Skype? That’s the sharpshooters at Vonage Mobile marking you for death -- or at least stepped-up competition. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/8/2784294/vonage-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios-promises-to-undercut-skypes" target="_blank">According to The Verge</a>, the Vonage Mobile apps for iOS and Android are now offering VoIP calls “typically 30 percent cheaper than Skype’s rates, based on per-minute rates to the top 50 countries called.” Best of all, anyone can use the app -- even without a traditional Vonage subscription, thanks to in-app billing in increments of $4.99 or $9.99, billed straight to iTunes or Android Market. What could be better than that? How about free calls to any number in the U.S. or Canada for a limited time, and the ability to use your mobile number for Caller ID on outgoing calls? That clicking you hear is other users rushing to <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fvonage-mobile-free-international%252Fid491391564%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Vonage Mobile - Free International Calls &amp; Texts" target="_blank">download the free iOS app</a>, we’re guessing...</p><h3>A Guide to Those Crazy iPad 3 Rumors</h3><p>Having trouble keeping up with all these iPad 3 rumors flying fast and furious? Apparently, <a href="http://blogs.computerworld.com/19701/the_crazy_apple_rumors_guide_to_ipad_3" target="_blank">so was the staff at Computerworld, who has just cooked up a “Crazy Apple Rumors Guide to iPad 3.”</a> After a bit of background on how the iPad has grown over the last two generations, writer Jonny Evans lays out what we know so far: Better screen? Check. A6 processor? Check. Improved graphics processor? Check. Better camera? Check. LTE wireless support? Check. Will it be thicker or thinner? Check and check. (Say wha--?) Thunderbolt I/O? Maybe. Siri? Done and done. And on it goes, right down to NFC, 3D and Apple-supplied mapping. So when will we finally see all of this tablet goodness? How about later this month… or maybe next month. You know, those rumor mills just can’t be for certain...</p><h3>Path Co-Founder: “We Are Sorry”</h3><p>As we reported yesterday, the Path iOS app was caught with its hands in the proverbial cookie jar -- in this case, uploading users’ address book data without being given express permission to do so. Today, <a href="http://blog.path.com/post/17274932484/we-are-sorry" target="_blank">co-founder and CEO Dave Morin has announced the company is moving quickly to right this wrong</a>. While noting that no user data has ever been used for malicious purposes, Morin explains: “We believe you should have control when it comes to sharing your personal information. We also believe that actions speak louder than words. So, as a clear signal of our commitment to your privacy, we’ve deleted the entire collection of user uploaded contact information from our servers. Your trust matters to us and we want you to feel completely in control of your information on Path.” Furthermore, the promised <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fpath%252Fid403639508%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Path" target="_blank">Path 2.0.6 update is now available in the App Store</a>, which now prompts users to opt in or out of sharing phone contacts, which is used to discover others you may know on the service. Hats off to the Path gang -- and fear not, we still love you.</p><h3>Apple Eyes Standardized Royalties for 3G Wireless Patents</h3><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/apple-takes-frand-issue-to-etsi-asks-for-common-frand-royalty-standards.ars" target="_blank">Ars Technica is reporting</a> that Apple wants to lead the charge for “standardized royalty rates” where 3G wireless networking is concerned. The problem stems from smartphone players such as Samsung and Motorola “leveraging patents essential to 3G wireless networking standards in lawsuits largely aimed at Apple” -- patents which were offered to standards body ETSI to “help create 3G standards on the condition that they be licensed on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.” Unfortunately, Apple’s chief IP attorney Bruce Watrous finds that the opposite is true, claiming “our industry suffers from a lack of consistence adherence to FRAND principles in the cellular standards arena.” The problem apparently stems from Samsung’s request for “a 2.4 percent royalty on the full retail price of every iPhone or iPad sold to cover its 3G-related patents, while Motorola has asked for 2.25 percent” -- amounts that Apple rightfully calls “unfair and unreasonable,” which is why the smartphone makers are suing Apple for patent infringement in the first place. “What Apple is arguing here is that the royalties should not apply to an entire iPhone or iPad, but rather to the basic hardware for 3G wireless radios,” the report explains, although there’s presumably no end in sight for the problem anytime soon.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/wednesday_pm_recap_ipad_3_rumors_amazon_adds_viacom_path_makes_amends#commentsNews3gAmazon Instant Videodaily recapETSIFRANDPatentsPathskypestreaming moviesViacomvoipvonageiPadiPhoneMacWed, 08 Feb 2012 23:31:24 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13251 at http://www.maclife.comMonday Recap: Best Buy TV Survey, Siri Hardware, AT&T Throttling Unlimited Datahttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_best_buy_tv_survey_siri_hardware_att_throttling_unlimited_data
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/samsung_galaxy_note_ad_200px.jpg" alt="Samsung Galaxy Note ad" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Hey, how about that Super Bowl, am I right? Okay, you got us -- we didn’t watch the darned thing because we were working hard all weekend while the rest of you planted your backsides on the couch to indulge in cheap beer, stale nachos and the high blood pressure that surely comes from such testosterone-driven forms of entertainment. Most of you are probably having a hard time adjusting to a bad case of the post-Bowl Mondays, but we’re here to help with a heaping helping of tech news for this manic Monday, February 6, 2012.</p><h3>There May Be a Valid Reason Why Siri Isn’t on Older iPhones</h3><p>No one likes to be left behind when cool features like Siri are introduced and touted as only available on newer hardware. Despite the valiant efforts of hackers to port the intelligent assistant technology to older iOS handsets, <a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/another-reason-why-apple-may-be-limiting-siri-to-iphone-4s.ars" target="_blank">Ars Technica is reporting</a> that Apple may have had a valid reason for limiting it to the iPhone 4S. “According to recent SEC filings from technology start-up Audience, Apple incorporated an improved version of its background noise filtering technology directly into the A5 processor used in the iPhone 4S -- technology that improves Siri's speech recognition capabilities.” Of course, the basic functionality of Siri has already been available in software-only form as a free app, since discontinued after Apple’s release of the iPhone 4S in October -- but coupling it with Audience’s “earSmart” IP would certainly make a more convincing case for keeping Siri tied to newer hardware.</p><h3>Best Buy Dreaming of an Apple Television, Too</h3><p>Yeah, yeah, we know: You want an Apple television, and so do the analysts. But what about major electronics retailers? <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/5/2773840/apple-hdtv-itv-best-buy-survey" target="_blank">According to The Verge</a>, apparently Best Buy also wants one, and wants one badly enough to query its customers with a survey exclusively dedicated to a theoretical 42-inch “AppleHDTV” which may retail for $1499. Now, before you get all excited and start clearing space on your credit cards, this is in no way an indication that said HDTV will ever arrive in stores -- Best Buy or otherwise. It sounds more like the retailer is getting a feel for what customers might like to see from such an offering, especially when features like a “built in iSight camera and microphone for Skype,” neither of which sound too Apple-like in this day and age. (FaceTime HD, anyone?)</p><h3>Samsung Galaxy Note: The Stylus Makes a Comeback?</h3><p>With an audience of millions watching the Super Bowl on Sunday night, Samsung introduced the latest of their attack ads against Apple in the form of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfknZidYq0" target="_blank">a whopping 90 seconds of pure delusion</a>. The spot opens with the usual bored-looking hipsters, presumably in line for the next iPhone, in what can only be described as sheer make-believe -- hey, we stood in line for the first two iPhones and nobody looked as bored and tortured as these folks. Of course, the dark cloud parts when one of them spots a dude with his new Android-packing Samsung Galaxy Note, which reintroduces the stylus to a world that has pretty much forgotten about it. The hipsters get so excited they take to dancing in the streets for the majority of the commercial time before the spot ends with Samsung’s slogan “The next big thing is already here”… followed a moment later by a “Coming Soon” notice. Confused? Yeah, us too…<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CgfknZidYq0" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><h3>Report: AT&amp;T Begins Throttling Unlimited Users at 2GB</h3><p>Still rocking one of those awesome unlimited data packages from the original iPhone back in 2007? If so, AT&amp;T apparently hates you and wants you to die -- okay, so they don’t want you to die, but they do want you to surrender your unlimited data and get with the times. <a href="http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/att-explains-unlimited-data-user-throttling-blames-users/" target="_blank">According to iLounge</a>, customers are starting to receive text messages warning that they’re in the top five percent of data users -- a penalty that comes with reduced data speeds for the remainder of the billing cycle. So what is the top five percent, you may ask? If you guessed five or even 10GB, guess again: This particular user got whacked at only 2.1GB, which is ironically under the new 3GB for $30 data plan the carrier recently began offering. What gives? “Data consumption by all smartphone customers, including the top 5 percent of smartphone data customers, varies by month and by market,” explains Emily Edmonds, Director, AT&amp;T Corporate Communications. “As of August 2011, the average data use across the country by the top 5 percent of AT&amp;T smartphone customers was 2 GB per month.” Sounds more like a way to strong arm users grandfathered with undesirable unlimited plans into getting with data caps, if you ask us.</p><h3>Redbox Partners with Verizon for Streaming, Consumes Blockbuster Express</h3><p>Hey, Redbox… slow down! You’re making our heads spin here! If you weren’t paying attention earlier today, you might have missed the big news that <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1814308/redbox-verizon-partners-coinstar-streaming-service-netflix-competitor" target="_blank">the DVD rental kiosk giant is indeed preparing to take on Netflix</a> with a new subscription-based streaming service in an unlikely partnership with Verizon. Concerned that the company might be abandoning those giant red kiosks? Don’t be, because <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1814438/redbox-acquires-ncr-blockbuster-express-for-up-to-100-million-boasts-more-locations-than-mcd" target="_blank">Fast Company is reporting</a> that Redbox had yet another huge announcement this afternoon, dropping $100 million for competitor NCR -- the folks behind their sole competition, Blockbuster Express. The deal will now bless Redbox parent Coinstar with “more locations than McDonald’s and Starbucks combined” -- and they predict those DVDs will keep slinging for upwards of another decade, to boot.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_best_buy_tv_survey_siri_hardware_att_throttling_unlimited_data#commentsNewsandroidApple vs. SamsungAT&Tbest buydaily recapiPhone 4SRedboxSiristreaming moviesunlimited dataiPhoneMon, 06 Feb 2012 22:45:53 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13239 at http://www.maclife.comThursday Recap: 50GB Free Cloud Storage for iOS Users, Apple Cloud Movies?http://www.maclife.com/article/news/thursday_recap_50gb_free_cloud_storage_ios_users_apple_cloud_movies
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/iphone-50gbfree_200px.png" alt="Box for iOS" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />If you’re feeling a little groggy and disoriented today, we don’t blame you -- Apple unleashed a shotgun blast’s worth of updates on Wednesday and many of us had to stay up until the wee hours to finally install them all. With the release of iOS 5 and iCloud now behind us, let’s look ahead to some other things happening around the internet prior to tomorrow’s iPhone 4S release -- here’s the latest for Thursday, October 13, 2011.</p><h3>Apple Successfully Blocks Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia</h3><p><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/tablets/apple-wins-bid-to-block-rival-samsung-tablet-20111013-1lm43.html" target="_blank"><em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em> is reporting</a> that Apple has succeeded in procuring an injunction against Samsung in their bid to block the company from selling the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia. The Federal Court there agrees with Apple that Samsung has “infringed on two of its patents relating to touch screens and the gestures that control them” -- a move that is likely to intensify the patent wars between the two companies moving forward.</p><h3>IM+ App Gets 40 Percent Discount for A Limited Time</h3><p>SHAPE Services, the developers behind the popular IM+ app for iOS, is celebrating this week’s release of the iPhone 4S with a 40 percent discount on their flagship <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fim-pro%252Fid296246130%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;IM+ Pro" target="_blank">IM+ Pro</a> app for a limited time only. Normally priced at $9.99, the current price for new customers is only $5.99 -- but hurry, because the new handset will be here before you know it!</p><h3>Reports Claim Apple Working on Streaming Movies</h3><p>This won’t come as much of a shocker, but it looks promising that Apple is hard at work on a new cloud-based streaming service for movies, which may finally put Cupertino on more equal footing with Netflix -- and the timing couldn’t be better, since the ol’ red envelope seems to be all left feet these days. <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/10/apple-prepping-movie-cloud-service-devices-may-work-with-ultraviolet.html" target="_blank">According to <em>The L.A. Times</em></a>, this new deal may be tied to the new Ultraviolet format which launched this week with two Warner Bros. titles, which allows DVD and Blu-ray buyers to gain access to their movies through internet-connected TVs, smartphones and tablets. Hey, sign us up…</p><h3>Phone 4S Lines Already Forming</h3><p>It wouldn’t be a proper iPhone release without lines starting to form at retail stores around the world, and the iPhone 4S doesn’t seem like it will disappoint. <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2011/10/13/lines-begin-forming-at-apple-retail-stores-ahead-of-iphone-4s-launch/" target="_blank">MacRumors has been gathering photos</a> from its readers from faraway lands such as Japan, United Kingdom and Paris, where the lines appear to be steadily growing. Here in the United States, there are apparently only “scattered reports of lines” which are likely to increase as word spreads that the handset is now sold out from all preorder sources here. Everyone keep warm out there!</p><h3>Box Offering Free 50GB Cloud Storage for iOS Users</h3><p>Apple may be busy touting the advantages of its free 5GB of iCloud storage, but companies like Box who have been doing this for much longer have a bigger number in mind -- say, 50GB for absolutely free? That’s the idea behind a new promotion the company is running which kicks off at 12:01am Friday (that’s tonight!) and runs for the next 50 days. Simply visit the App Store, <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fbox.net%252Fid290853822%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Box.net" target="_blank">download the free Box app for iOS</a>, register for a new account (or log in to an existing one) and the company will throw 50GB of cloud storage your way for the trouble. Box also encourages users to share the deal with other iOS owners by tweeting about it using the hashtag #Box50GB -- but that last part is optional. (<strong>Update:</strong> The new version of the app is now live, so the deal is ready and waiting for you!)</p><h3>Valve Celebrates Four Years of Team Fortress 2 with “Manniversary”</h3><p>Hard to believe, but it’s already been four years since Team Fortress 2 was launched as part of The Orange Box. Numerous awards later, the title is still one of the most popular online action games of all time. Now, <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/" target="_blank">Valve is celebrating with the first annual “Manniversary Update and Sale”</a> on the first anniversary of the in-game Mann Co. Store, with new features including Steam Workshop, 30 new hats and cosmetic items, an item decal system and much more. The company says it’s “one of the largest and most ambitious in TF2’s four-year history,” and the celebration includes a sale until Monday, October 17 on almost everything in the Mann Co. in-game store.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/thursday_recap_50gb_free_cloud_storage_ios_users_apple_cloud_movies#commentsNewsApp StoreApple Inc.Apple vs. SamsungBox.netGalaxy TabiCloudIM Prostreaming moviesUltravioletiPadiPhoneiPodThu, 13 Oct 2011 21:19:18 +0000J.R. Bookwalter12632 at http://www.maclife.comNetflix May Soon Have Another Headache with Blockbuster and Dish Networkhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/netflix_may_soon_have_another_headache_blockbuster_and_dish_network
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/dish-blockbuster_signs_200px.png" alt="Dish &amp; Blockbuster signs" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />As customers and stockholders alike pile on Netflix following their questionable moves over the last few months, another threat looms large on the horizon: The newly invigorated Blockbuster Video, flush with cash from its Dish Network purchase and ready to announce something significant on Friday.<br /><br /><a href="http://allthingsd.com/20110923/here-comes-the-next-bump-for-netflix-a-blockbusterdish-streaming-service/" target="_blank">AllThingsD is reporting</a> that Dish Network will be holding a press conference Friday at 1pm EST, with the leading speculation focused on the introduction of a new streaming video service as part of the satellite provider’s acquisition of Blockbuster Video. Need more evidence, you say?<br /><br />“The company’s invitations for today’s event (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/DISHNetwork" target="_blank">you can watch a livestream here</a>) tease that Dish and Blockbuster will be offering a ‘stream come true,’” writes Peter Kafka, which doesn’t leave much to the imagination.<br /><br />Honestly, what other reason could Dish have for slapping $320 million down on the table to save the once-mighty Blockbuster from bankruptcy this past April? Streaming is where it’s at, and the company has already gone on the record with its intentions at least once before.<br /><br />The real question is how this will affect the embattled Netflix, which in recent days has lost a huge chunk of its stock market value on the heels of some unpopular moves, including charging separately for its streaming and DVD by mail services and then haphazardly deciding to spin off the DVD business entirely into something called “Quickster.”<br /><br />AllThingsD notes that it’s an uphill battle to match Netflix on selection. Despite constant griping from customers about the limited streaming selection, Netflix currently offers roughly 20,000 titles -- while its nearest competitor, Amazon Instant Video, has a “mere 9,000.” Could Dish step into the fray with such a large catalog right out of the gate? It seems unlikely.<br /><br />The curveball for Netflix could come in the form of a former ally, Starz, who recently walked away from renewal negotiations with the company and is likely shopping its wares around town in search of a better deal. Should that come from Dish/Blockbuster, it could be yet another hiccup in the stream for Netflix -- so to speak.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/netflix_may_soon_have_another_headache_blockbuster_and_dish_network#commentsNewsAll Things DAmazon Instant VideoBlockbusterdishDVDnetflixStarzstreaming moviesstreaming videoFri, 23 Sep 2011 12:45:17 +0000J.R. Bookwalter12463 at http://www.maclife.comNetflix CEO: “I Messed Up,” Messes Up Again By Splitting Off DVD Business as Qwiksterhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/netflix_ceo_%E2%80%9Ci_messed_up%E2%80%9D_messes_again_splitting_dvd_business_qwikster
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/reed_hastings_with_dvds_200px.png" alt="Netflix CEO Reed Hastings" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Netflix subscribers woke this morning to an email from CEO Reed Hastings which begins as a heartfelt apology and quickly spirals into yet another knife in the back for the company’s beloved DVD by mail service, which is now being spun off onto its own service as -- wait for it -- Qwikster.<br /><br />Once the darling of Wall Street and customers alike, Netflix appears to be doing everything they can to crash and burn these days. Aside from recent price changes that effectively double the monthly cost for users of both streaming and DVD, Netflix continues to test the patience of its customers with bizarre moves such as dropping the saved section of their streaming queues in the last week.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html?lnktrk=EMP&amp;g=D1BF7CC854CF0485486459DAA4E071810AC0315E&amp;lkid=netflixBlog" target="_blank">Based on an email from CEO Reed Hastings sent to subscribers in the wee hours of Monday morning</a>, the company appears poised to add another death by a thousand cuts to its members, announcing that the DVD service that launched the service into the hearts and minds of consumers will be spun off and rebranded as Qwikster, while the Netflix name will continue as a streaming only enterprise.<br /><br />Hastings’ email begins with the promising, “I messed up. I owe you an explanation,” but quickly spirals into more bad news for fans of the DVD by mail service.<br /><br />“It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes,” Hastings explains. “That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.”<br /><br />Claiming the name Qwikster was chosen “because it refers to quick delivery,” Hastings explains that the new website will launch in a few weeks, where DVD members will go to access their DVD queues and choose movies -- which sounds like a further headache for subscribers who have both DVD and streaming, since they’ll no longer have notification when a disc-only title becomes available for streaming. “A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated,” Hastings explains.<br /><br />It’s not all bad news, however, as Hastings claims the company is done with pricing changes and will be adding an option for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 video game rentals on Qwikster, similar to the company’s current solution for Blu-ray discs.<br /><br />“Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust,” Hastings concludes. “We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.”<br /><br />Hastings has posted <a href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html?lnktrk=EMP&amp;g=D1BF7CC854CF0485486459DAA4E071810AC0315E&amp;lkid=netflixBlog" target="_blank">a longer version of his email to subscribers with a video on the company’s blog</a>, which is also open to comments -- and those should make for an entertaining read as the news spreads.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/netflix_ceo_%E2%80%9Ci_messed_up%E2%80%9D_messes_again_splitting_dvd_business_qwikster#commentsNewschangesDVDnetflixqueueQwiksterReed Hastingsstreamingstreaming moviesTV ShowsMon, 19 Sep 2011 12:50:13 +0000J.R. Bookwalter12397 at http://www.maclife.comHow to Rent Movies on Facebookhttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_rent_movies_facebook
<!--paging_filter--><p>Facebook is a lot of different things to more than <a href="https://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics" target="_blank">750 million people</a>, but being a movie rental platform is not usually the first thing you think about. However, as more people embrace mobile devices and cloud streaming, the demand for "on-demand" is only going to heat up. And Facebook is not planning to sit on the sidelines.</p><p>Currently there are agreements in place between Facebook and several major movie studios, including Warner and Miramax, to stream movies that you pay to rent through the social networking site. The selection right now from the studios is extremely limited, but the potential is enormous.&nbsp;</p><p>Miramax has the largest selection right now, even though it is limited to only 20 titles. To check it out, all you have to do is head over the <a href="https://apps.facebook.com/miramaxapp/" target="_blank">Miramax eXperience App</a> on Facebook and like the page to get started. This is not a pure iOS app, but a web app hosted on a Facebook page.</p><p><img src="/files/u315479/facebook-movies1.jpg" alt="Facebook Movies" width="620" height="400" /></p><p>Through the app, you can browse through the titles until you find one you like. Once you do, it will cost you 30 <a href="https://apps.facebook.com/help/?page=1038" target="_blank">Facebook credits</a>, or about $3. If you don't have any credits, you will be prompted to buy some immediately, and Facebook is more than happy to take your cash in several different ways, including your credit card, mobile phone, or PayPal. Movie rentals last for thirty days, but once you start watching you only have a 48 hour window to watch and re-watch the film. The move can be watched instantly through Facebook, your iPad, or Google TV.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u315479/facebook-movies2.jpg" alt="Facebook Movies" width="620" height="400" /></p><p>The Miramax eXperience App also includes a game that allows you to cast friends in various roles of Miramax movies and, as you play, you can unlock bonus content that’s not otherwise visible.</p><p>We know you Facebook users notoriously spend a lot of time on the social networking site, doing everything from reading news to chatting with friends to playing games. Most of your video watching consists of watching amateur clips uploaded by other users, or links to other web hosting sites like YouTube or Vimeo. It remains to be seen if you want to watch an entire feature film through the site and, more importantly, if you are willing to pay for it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Adrian covers daily news as well as the weekly&nbsp;</em><em><a href="http://www.maclife.com/search/law%20%2526%20Apple" target="_blank">Law &amp; Apple</a></em><em>&nbsp;column for MacLife.com. You can follow him on&nbsp;</em><em><a href="http://www.twitter.com/aphoppel" target="_blank">Twitter</a></em><em>, if you want to.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_rent_movies_facebook#commentsFacebookmoviessocial networkingstreaming moviesvideoHow-TosWed, 31 Aug 2011 20:50:43 +0000Adrian Hoppel12225 at http://www.maclife.com